Overhead door system bracket



Nov. 16, 1954 J. HAMMER OVERHEAD DOOR SYSTEM BRACKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 4, 1954 11v ENTOR.

JOSEPH HAMMER BY {A ATTORNEY NOV. 16, 1954 HAMMER 2,694,214

OVERHEAD DOOR SYSTEM BRACKET Filed Jan. 4, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOSE PH HAMMER ATTORNEY strained or stationary position flange 23 may be drawn transversely of theshaft for the full length-of the slot 25'. The large washers on either side of the flange serve to guide flange 23 and shaft 32 in respect to the sliding movement of the one with the other. The washers also prevent wobble in such movement. Wobble in the movements of elements 23 and 32 is further prevented by the tensioned spring and stop means against the large washers. It is clear that the tension of the spring may be adjusted by adding or removing washers 39 at the end of the shaft.

The bracket 18 further includes cable attaching means 41 projecting from the lower portion of the side flange 22 of the backing plate. Means 41 is commonly called a cable lock.

In assembling the bracket 18 to the door system, the backing plate 19 is secured by fasteners through holes 42 to a rear corner of the bottom section of the door. The bracket is secured in such manner that the bottom flange thereof extends forwardly beneath the door and the side flange extends forwardly at the outer side of the door. The related cable is pivotably secured to the cable lock 41. The end roller 33 is inserted in the related track channel through a free end of the latter before the bracket is made secure to the door section. The mating bracket 18 is similarly located at the opposite side of the door and is attached to its cable. When the door is in its normal position, the roller is at the lower end of the track channel (Figs. 2 and 3) and the roller shaft 32 is positioned immediately to the rear of the backing plate 19 and in the elongated slot 25.

Now, as the lift system is actuated to pull the side cables upward, the several sections of the door are drawn upward and are guided in their movement by the rollers 3 at the sides and by the bracket rollers 33. In this movement the shaft 32 is yieldable because of the spring 34 and is, therefore, able to move endwise in case of any slight play movement in the door. This characteristic prevents binding at the lower sides of the door and avoids possible shearing of the roller 33 from its shaft, which could otherwise occur.

The several sections of the door are moved around the curve 8 of the track to an overhead horizontal position. Now, as the bracket roller 33 begins to round the curve 8, the vertical pull of the cable retards the movement of the bracket roller around the curve and causes the bracket to pivot about the roller shaft. Further pulling of the cable progressively pivots the bracket and as it does so the slotted flange 23 slides progressively over the retarded roller shaft. This action continues until the bracket roller has been moved to about the midpoint of the track curve. At this point the flange 23 will have moved its limit across the roller shaft 32 and the bracket will have been pivoted and drawn to a fully horizontal position, as in Fig. 1. As the overhead horizontal position is reached, the cross roller 29 contacts the inner diameter of the track curve. This cross roller serves to prevent the sharp edges of the cross piece 26 from shearing the track and protects against over-lifting by the cable. Further, as the bracket roller enters the curve of the track, the parallel flange member 27 is gradually carried to the rear of the track wall where it acts as an added guide in the movement of the bracket and as a further protection for the track roller against side play movement of the door. It is to be noted that this parallel flange is also provided with a cable lock element 43 to which an outside pull cable may be secured when required.

The slot of the angular flange 23 is of suficient length to serve the radius of a conventional track curve. Where this radius differs the usable portion of the slot may be shortened or lengthened as desired by adjusting the position of the cross roller 29. To this end a plurality of holes 44 are provided in flanges 23 and 27 for moving the cross roller 29 to such positions as may be desired according to the radius of the track curve. It is also clear that the brackets may be formed with different size slotted portions to accommodate track curves of various radii.

In those cases where the action of the cable lift sysbump against the inner diameter of the track curve 8 until the motion of the springs and door has settled. As

a protection in such cases, the cross roller is provided with a suitable resilient covering 45 of hard rubber or the like, which serves to absorb the shock of such bumping action. Further, the cross roller 29 may be replaced by a checking device to absorb the rebounding action of the door and springs until such rebounding action has subsided.

In Fig. 6 the bracket 18 is shown in which a shock absorber or checking device 46 has been incorporated. The checking device includes a flanged portion 47 at one end whereby it is bolted securely to the outer surface of the cross member 26 of flange 23 and in perpendicular relation to the cross member. The device further includes a piston rod 48 which projects through a center hole of cross piece 26 and extends into the space 28 between flanges 27 and 23. Carried on the free end of rod 48 is a crosshead 49, which, like thecross roller 29, is adapted to contact the inner diameter of the curve 8 of track 5 as depicted in Fig. 7. The checking device has incorporated therein a conventional spring 51 which constantly tensions the cross head 49 outward.

In operation, when the door rises to its overhead horizontal position, the crosshead is drawn into contact with the curve 8 of the roller track and is thereupon pressed slightly inward against the tension of the spring 51. Now, should the rise of the door be sudden as to cause the springs 17 of the lift system and the door to rebound down and up again repeatedly, the crosshead will be drawn repeatedly into contact with the curve of the track and will absorb the shock of such bumping contaCtlzt's1 until the door and spring movements have sub- 81 e The tension of the spring in the checking device as well as the position of the cross head in the space 28 may be adjusted by suitable adjusting means, such as adjusting screw means generally indicated at 52.

While the invention has been described and illustrated as above, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto, and it is my intent to claim the invention, not only as shown and described but also in all such forms and modifications thereof as may be reasonably construed to be within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. For use in combination with an overhead door system of the type comprising several door sections hingedly connected together, adapted to be moved by cables from a vertical to an overhead position and guided in their movement by rollers at the sides of the door sections in tracks, a bracket having a backing plate adapted to be secured to a corner of one of the door sections, a side flange from the plate adapted to contact the outer side of the door section, a cable lock on the flange for having anchored thereon one of the cables, a slotted flange member aligned with the side flange and extending upwardly and at an angle from the backing plate, a roller engageable in one of the tracks and having a horizontally disposed shaft, and the angularly disposed slotted flange member having an elongated slot through which the horizontal shaft is disposed, the latter flange being pivotable about the shaft and slidable across the shaft for the length or" its slot.

2. A bracket as in claim 1, wherein the bracket is restrained in its slidable movement by roller means at the end of the slotted flange member adapted to limit against the inner diameter of a curve in the track.

3. A bracket as in claim 1, wherein the shaft is held in horizontal position for yielding endwise movement transversely of the slot by spring means on the shaft tensioned against one side of the slotted flange member and by stop means on the shaft limiting against the other side of the slotted flange member.

4. A bracket for an overhead door system of the character described, comprising a plate securable to a corner of the door, a roller engageable in a track off to the side of the door, an elongated flange extending upwardly and angularly from the plate and having an elongated slot lengthwise thereof, a shaft carried by the roller and extending through the slot, means on the shaft tensioning the shaft in a horizontal position crosswise of the slot, the bracket being pivotable about the shaft and slidable across the shaft for the length of the slot, and means at the lower end of the bracket for attaching a lift cable thereto.

5. A bracket of the character described including a normally disposed vertical member havinga flange part disposed at a 45 degree angle therefrom, a roller bearing shaft extending through an elongated slot lengthwise of the flange part, spring means on one side of the shaft tensioning the shaft in a horizontal crosswise position in the slot, stop means on the other side of the shaft spacing the roller from the flange and tensioned against the flange by the spring means, the flange being pivotable on the shaft and slidable crosswise thereof for the distance of the slot.

6. A bracket as in claim 5, wherein the vertical member includes means at a side thereof for attaching a lift cable thereto.

7. In a bracket as in claim 5, wherein the flange has at its free end a roller extending outward at right angles thereto, the roller being adaptd to limit against the inner curve of a track engaging the shaft roller, upon the flange pivoting on the shaft and the flange being slid across the shaft for the length of the slot.

8. In a bracket as in claim 7, wherein the extending rollers position is adjustable relative to the slot, whereby the effective length of the slot is controlled upon the roller limiting against the inner curve of the track.

9. In an overhead door system of the character described including a bracket attachable to a corner of the door, a roller engageable in a track of the system, a flange member angularly disposed from the bracket and including an elongated slot disposed lengthwise of the flange member, a shaft extending axially from the roller and horizontally disposed crosswise through the slot, the flange being pivotable about the shaft and slidable crosswise of the shaft, vertical lift means for pulling the bracket vertically from a position at the bottom of the track to a curve at the top of the track, the curve serving to retard the movement of the roller around it and the vertical lift means serving to pivot the flange about the retarded roller shaft and draw the slotted portion of the flange across the shaft, and resilient means secured at the end of the flange serving to resiliently abut against the curve of the track when the slotted portion of the flange is fully moved across the shaft.

10. In a system as in claim 9, wherein the lift means includes springs adapted to pull the door quickly to the curve of the track and to cause rebounding of the door, and the resilient means comprises spring tensioned shock absorbing means adapted to repeatedly contact the curve of the track until the rebounding movement of the door has subsided.

11. A bracket comprising in combination a normally disposed vertical portion securable to a corner of a door, a side portion for the side of the door and including a lock for attaching a lift cable thereto, a further flange aligned with the side flange and extending upward and away therefrom at an angle of about degrees, a roller engageable in a track and including an elongated shaft tensioned in horizontal position crosswise in an elongated slot lengthwise of the flange disposed angularly, the further flange being adapted to pivot upon the shaft and to be drawn across the shaft by the lift cable for substantially the length of the slot, and means carried by the further flange adapted to limit against the side of the track when the flange has been pivoted and drawn across the shaft for substantially the length of the slot.

12. A bracket as in claim 11, wherein the limiting means carried by the further flange is characterized as a shock absorber having a spring tensioned cross head adapted to resiliently contact the roller track when the further flange has been pivoted and drawn substantially across the shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 257,189 Scoville May 2, 1882 1,857,756 Headley u May 10, 1932 1,954,987 Clark Apr. 17, 1934 2,023,664 Clark et a1. Dec. 10, 1935 2,041,372 Rush May 19, 1936 

